I cook. I bake. I eat out. And listen to great music while doing it. Then I write about it. Enjoy!

Welcome!

Welcome to the new and improved Carano's Cucina. I make a lot of kick ass food and go out to some amazing restaurants. Take a look around and make yourself at home :)

Saturday, January 8, 2011

B-Spot, Again?

Yes again. Seriously, if you've been there you'd want to talk about how good it is too! So let's just start at the beginning. I had plans on that day to go to The Lockview in Akron with my friend Lynn, a pretty darn good place in it's own right. But I also happen to have been sick for most of the week and when I called my doctor that day to get a prescription sent in, she wanted to see me in person. So I called Lynn up with a proposal.... come with me to see my doctor in Beachwood and then we can go to Penzy's, Trader Joe's and B-Spot for lunch (Whole Foods if we have time). The reply I got was "Sold!"

Sitting and waiting in the doctors office was pure torture. I just couldn't wait to get to B-Spot and sink my teeth into one of Michael Symon's deliciously juicy burgers! But we prevailed and as soon as we got out of there we headed straight for B-Spot! For a Thursday afternoon around 3:45 pm, it was pretty crowded but we were able to get right in. And the first thing I saw upon walking in the door was a blackboard with the daily special on it. I took a photo of it, but unfortunately the photo doesn't want to come out of my phone. So I will just tell you, it said, "The Muffaletta Burger: Ham, Salami, Provolone Cheese, Mayo, Muffaletta."

Now it was my turn to say, "Sold!" There was no way on earth I wasn't getting this. I don't care that I have bronchitis and was just given a 10 day course of antibiotics. I don't care that my cough is so bad that I have to drink some vile grapey cough medicine. All I know is when I see the world Muffaletta, I'm in! So that is what I ordered. Lynn decided to give the Pulled Pork a try. And really, can you go wrong with pulled pork? I don't think so! The menu described it as pulled pork with avocado, cheddar, Carolina style BBQ, grilled onion. Lynn ordered it minus the avocado. We also ordered the chips, which the menu describes as chips with Parmesan fondue and rosemary. And this is what we got:

This is seriously a big mound of homemade chips, plenty for 2 or more, way too much for one. The dip is warm and cheesy and with a nice hint of rosemary. I could have made those chips my meal. They were so good!

And then came my burger. Oh yes, my Muffaletta burger! I've had Muffaletta burgers before, at the Hamburger Festival and they've been pretty good. But this, this is from a whole new stratosphere of burgers. Feast your eyes on this thing of beauty....

Can you stand it!? Nothing I can say can really describe how insanely good this is. Everything was perfection. The custom blended beef that B-Spot uses is just amazing. The flavor, the seasoning, how it's cooked, it's all perfection. And then to have it topped with ham, salami, provolone and olive salad? Fuggedaboutit! It's the single best burger experience ever. And I don't say that lightly.

But the pulled pork was certainly not to be overlooked here!

It was piled super high and was tender, moist and delicious. The onions added a nice sweetness and the array of sauces on the table were fun to try out. I ended up taking half my burger home and Lynn bought a bratwurst to take home. No matter how full you are when you leave B-Spot, you just want to keep eating, it's so good!